First gay marriage in Pennsylvania

County official ignores state law and issues marriage licenses to gay couples

Two women became the first gay couple married in Pennsylvania July 24, when a county official said he would ignore state law and issue marriage licenses to any couple, gay or straight, reports the Washington Post.

Alicia Terrizzi and Loreen Bloodgood were married Wednesday morning in Montgomery, followed by another lesbian couple.

“We’ve been waiting a long time for this,” Terrizzi told the Post. “We’re not setting out to be pioneers. We don’t think our family is any different than anybody else.”

On July 23, Montgomery Register of Wills, D Bruce Hanes, said he would give out gay marriage licences because he wanted to be “on the right side of history.”

Pennsylvania has no provision for gay marriages or civil unions, and the marriages will likely be annulled by the courts.

The American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit against Pennsylvania’s gay marriage ban earlier this month.

Niko Bell

Niko Bell is a writer, editor and translator from Vancouver. He writes about sexual health, science, food and language.

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